Twisted Stone
by Emcee Frodis
Summary: Harry Black is eleven years old and hidden by his guardians from those who want to harm him. But a letter has arrived for him that will change his life. The time has come to face his past, go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and find out who Harry Potter really is.
1. Chapter 1

This is a sequel to the story "A Twist of Fate" and an alternate universe version of Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts.

**CHAPTER ONE**

Sirius Black knew he lived an extraordinary life. He was very proud of that fact. Whatever was expected of him, he went in the other direction.

It was true it had not always brought him joy. His life had not been without heartache. He'd had more than his fair share. Being a soldier on the front lines of a war meant losing people you cared about. Sirius had lost two of the people he'd care about more than anyone in the world, his best friends James and Lily Potter. He remembered the night it happened. When he'd run into their house and found James- his brother in everything but birth- lying dead, wand still clutched in his hand.

But tragedy could bring joy. James and Lily had entrusted him with the safety of their son, Harry. As difficult as the journey had been to keep Harry safe, it had given Sirius so much. He loved Harry as if he were his own.

His travels to keep Harry safe had brought him to the woman he had parted with and his biological son. A third child- a daughter- followed.

It made Sirius' stomach twist to think about, but that horrible night had managed to bring such joy to his life. He doubted any of it would have happened had he not been given Harry. He shuddered to think what would have happened to him had he not had Harry to worry after.

Worrying after Harry was Sirius' current concern. So often was the case, it seemed.

"Harry's got his letter to Hogwarts," Sirius murmured, turning the letter over in his hand to look at the wax seal closing the envelope closed. He looked up to glance at Remus and studying the werewolf's face. He was frustratingly impassive. He then looked to Yuki, who was biting her lower lip worriedly. "I suppose it makes sense. His birthday is only a week away."

Yuki snatched the letter from Sirius's hand to examine it, as if she were going to find some sort of flaw or forgery. "But..." She shook her head fractionally then looked to Sirius for explanation. "I don't understand. We haven't talked to the Headmaster in years. How does he know where we are?"

Sirius let out a small sigh at his wife's questions. He hated bringing such worry to her, especially on their anniversary. It had been nearly six years since they had spoken with Dumbledore. Their relationship with the Headmaster had never recovered after his hunt for Sirius. While he may have reluctantly forgiven Sirius and helped them hide from Death Eaters, it had been easy to let their contact fall to the wayside once they'd settled off on their own.

Remus gave a small shrug and a sigh. "He always had a way." Remus was the most level headed of the three of them. Sirius was sure they would have gotten into far more trouble were it not for his lycanthropic best friend. "Nico still comes to see us. Maybe he told Dumbledore. They've been friends for decades."

Yuki shook her head firmly. "No. Nico knows the value of a secret. There's no way he would tell Dumbledore about us. Not when he knew we didn't want him to know."

Remus pushed the letter to the centre of the table, giving another small shrug. "There's Andromeda. Or perhaps McGonagall followed us from the World Cup last year. Or... He's _Dumbledore_. We've probably never been out of his sight. Not really. He just allowed us to think we were."

Sirius scrubbed his face with his hands before running his fingers through his shoulder-length black hair. A growl rose in his throat, the sound so similar to that his canine Animagus form was wont to make. "Why would Hogwarts accept a student who isn't living in the United Kingdom?"

"I wasn't living in the United Kingdom when I was accepted," Remus pointed out. He pulled out his wand, waving it to put on the kettle. The gesture almost made Sirius laugh. Leave it to dependable Moony to make tea in the case of an emergency. "We were in Oregon at the time, at the commune. But I was British born. My name went down at birth. So did Harry's."

"What was that, Moony?"

All three adults froze at the voice. They turned slowly to the doorway. The slight boy wandered into the kitchen, his face obscured by the issue of _Which Broomstick?_ he'd just received.

"Um..." Remus cast a worried glance to Sirius. He opened his mouth, obviously looking for a cue from Harry's father rather than taking the lead himself.

"We were just talking about your problem keeping Nori out of your room," Sirius lied. The pre-teen boy was always complaining about his younger sister invading his space. He had been on about it before the idea of a Nimbus 2000 had distracted him.

Sirius was loathed to lie to any of his children. Keeping things from people had been directly responsible for James and Lily's deaths. But he needed some time. Not forever. Just a day or two, so he could figure out exactly what to say to Harry. A day or two was all right, wasn't it?

"I didn't break anything!" Noriko insisted as she marched into the kitchen, trailing after Harry. She bounced on her heels. "Come on, Harry! You said you'd go outside with me!"

"That was before I got my magazine," Harry said. He pointed to a page. "Look at that."

Noriko got on tiptoes to look at the page. "It's just a broom."

"Just a broom?" JJ sauntered into the kitchen and rested his arms on top of Noriko's head. "Nori, that is the Nimbus 2000!"

"So what?" Noriko asked, rolling her eyes.

"It's the best broom in the world," Harry replied. His emerald green gaze slid over to his godfather. "You know... My birthday is in a few days."

"So it is," Sirius demurred. It was easier to focus on Harry's want of a new broom than to think about the letter on the table.

JJ's brow knit as he looked back and forth between his parents. "Weren't you two going out?"

Sirius nodded, reaching to the table and grabbing the letter that sat there. He slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket. "Yeah, _Kachan_ and I will be going in a minute..."

Harry frowned. "Are you sure everything is all right, Padfoot?"

Sirius nodded. "Of course, Pronglet." He shared worried glances with Yuki and Remus. "There's nothing to worry about at all."

* * *

><p>Yuki and Sirius collapsed next to each other on the queen sized bed in the quaint bed and breakfast room they'd rented for the night.<p>

It was not how either of them had expected to collapse on the bed. First of all, they were still dressed in their clothes for their dinner out. Second of all, the dinner they'd gone to have was wrapped matching aluminium foil swans. Neither of them could find the appetite to eat and just went to their room.

"We could head home, you know," Yuki muttered.

Sirius shrugged. "We've paid the night as it is." He rolled onto his side, propping up his head with his hand. "Besides... Here, we can talk without Harry overhearing us. You know he was onto us. If he caught wind of us talking, he'd definitely sneak about trying to find out what was going on."

Yuki rolled over to face him. "We're going to have to talk to him about it eventually."

"But does it have to be now?" Sirius reached over and played with a lock of Yuki's short black hair. She used to wear it so long, but she'd cut it last year. It made her look more mature. Sirius wondered how old he really looked if he hazarded a close look in the mirror.

"Do you really think Dumbledore will stop?" Yuki asked. "Remember when he was looking for you? He sent _Fawkes_ to my flat."

Sirius nodded. "You're right. But do we want him to go?"

Yuki sighed. "I'm his mother. If I could keep him in a house next door to me for the rest of his life, I would. But I'm fairly certain that leads to unhealthy development."

"He doesn't have to go to Hogwarts though," Sirius murmured. He crawled to Yuki, draping an arm over her hip. "We could see if the Salem Institute would be willing to take him. Or _Mahōtokoro_. That way, he could continue with his _Mahō Budō_."

"And he could be half a world away from the people who want to hurt him," Yuki finished.

Sirius shook his head. "You say that like it's a bad thing. We're his parents. We're supposed to protect him from people who want to hurt him. That's what we've been doing for the last ten years. Now we're just supposed to throw him into that mess again because Dumbledore came calling?"

He jumped to his feet, grunting. "I need to go out for a run."

Yuki sat up. "Do you want some company?"

Sirius shook his head. "No... I just... I need to clear my head." He gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry I'm not up for much celebration tonight, Kitten."

"I'll take a rain cheque. Don't get into too much trouble."

Sirius gave a nod before transforming into his gigantic black dog form. Yuki rose to her feet and opened the door for him, sighing. She watched the dog lope down the hall. He nearly knocked down the elderly owner as she walked in the opposite direction.

"Goodness!" She cried. She noticed Yuki. "Is that yours? I'm sure I said that pets weren't allowed."

"He won't be back," Yuki sighed.

The woman held out a stack of envelopes. "You've had some mail arrive. Quite a bit of it actually."

Yuki accepted the envelopes. "Thank you."

She walked back into the room, looking over the five letters addressed to her and Sirius.

She opened the first one, sighing as she saw the envelope with Harry's name on it and the Hogwarts seal on the back.

* * *

><p>Remus sighed as he poured the tea into cups. How many had he drunk since Harry had gotten his first letter?<p>

First. He'd gotten several of them over the past few hours. It seemed Dumbledore had no faith in their willingness to reply promptly to the letter from Hogwarts. Or perhaps Dumbledore had charmed the envelope to know when the recipient had read it.

All of the envelopes had been incinerated. Sirius had one. That was all they needed. Remus has done it as discreetly as possible.

It wasn't just an issue of Harry of course. Remus gave Alice and Frank an empathetic smile as he set the tea down on the table.

"Neville too?"

Alice nodded. "We haven't talked to him about it yet. We thought it best to wait. See what you three were going to do about Harry."

Remus held up a finger and glanced towards the sitting room. He walked over to the doorway, glancing inside.

For once, the kids were quiet. JJ and Neville were playing chess while Harry read with Noriko and Lex.

Noriko leaned her head against Harry's shoulder. She yawned. "Why can't the princess fight the dragon?"

Lex looked over at her. "Because that's the prince's job."

"Nuh-uh." Noriko shook her head. "_Kachan_ could save Daddy from a dragon. So could your Mummy."

"Why don't you write your own story?" Harry suggested. "Where the princess does the saving?"

"Maybe I will," Noriko said, smiling at her brother. She pointed at Lex. "And _you'll_ be the prince that the princess has to save."

"Why don't you make Harry the prince?" Lex complained. "I don't want to be a prince."

"Because Harry could save himself from a dragon."

Harry glanced up, noticing Remus. "Is everything all right, Moony?"

Remus nodded. "Yeah. It's fine. Just... You kids should be getting to bed soon."

"Harry's not done the story yet!" Noriko whined.

Harry nodded. "And Nev and Jay aren't done their game."

Alice walked up behind Remus. "Thirty minutes. Then it's time."

With a collective sigh, the kids nodded. Remus glanced at her, eyes widening. "How do you do that?"

Alice smiled and beckoned him back towards the kitchen. "Come on."

Remus sat back down at the table, picking up his teacup. "There's no point in talking anymore about this tonight. We can't make an decisions without Padfoot and Yuki."

"And they're deep in anniversary mode," Frank sighed.

"Are you kidding me?" Remus laughed bitterly. "You _really_ think that's what Padfoot is doing right now?"

* * *

><p>Padfoot raced through the lush foliage on the grounds around the bed and breakfast. He and Yuki had picked a place in the middle of nowhere. It had seemed romantic at the time. Now it served as a balm on his active mind.<p>

He wasn't sure what was bothering him the most about the letter. Yes, he was worried about Harry's safety. But he still felt bitter anger at the way he had been treated by Dumbledore.

He knew the coot had plans for Harry. Putting Harry into a position where Dumbledore could manipulate him for months at a time while Sirius couldn't interfere made his insides twist.

Padfoot heard the rustling in the brush behind him. He turned and sniffed the air. There were of course many other animals- real animals- out. But there was something familiar about the scent.

The scent was not only familiar, but one not normally found in this area of the world. The large dog cocked his head at the appearance of the black leopard, something held in its mouth. He straightened his back and soon the gigantic dog was replaced with the man once again.

"I'm still getting used to you being able to do that."

The leopard disappeared, Yuki standing before him. She took the papers from her mouth. "Well, it did take me fifteen years." She touched a finger to her nose. "It was the only way I could track you down."

Sirius exhaled, looking around the woods. "Told you I needed to think, Kitten."

"Not really an option." She held up the envelopes. "These arrived at the front desk. If the Headmaster is sending us letters for Harry, no doubt he's sent more the house."

Sirius groaned. "If he's this insistent about just getting a reply, what happens if we give him one he doesn't like?"

"Do you think we will give him one he doesn't like?"

"I don't know!" Sirius raked his fingers through his hair. "This should be one of the best moments of Harry's life, getting his letter from Hogwarts. But we both know what Dumbledore has in store for him. That's our _son_!"

"And he's James and Lily's son too," Yuki said calmly. She slipped an arm around his waist. "We can talk about this all we want together. But that doesn't change the fact we're going to have to talk to him."

Sirius put his head on Yuki's shoulder as they walked along. "Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort was ever afraid of... And I sometimes think he's who we really have to worry about."

* * *

><p>No one seemed surprised when Sirius and Yuki came back before midnight. Sirius gave his friends a wry smile. "I suppose my teenaged prowess has long been forgotten about."<p>

"Just know how you worry about things," Remus sighed.

Yuki looked to Alice. "So... You guys..."

Alice held up the letter with Neville's name on it. "Have you two come to any decision? What are we going to do? I mean... We can't go back... Can we?"

"It's been six years," Frank pointed out. He gave his wife a gentle squeeze. "There hasn't been any Death Eater activity since..."

"...Since we were attacked by them?" Sirius responded tersely. "Since your mother was murdered by them? Since we only got away by the skin of our teeth?"

Frank's hands tightened into fists as he glared at Sirius. Sirius knew it was dirty pool bringing up Augusta Longbottom, but it was the truth. They had left because Harry and Neville were in danger. How could Dumbledore expect them to forget that and return?

"Of course," Remus said calmly. "There is no place safer than Hogwarts. We were all safe there in the middle of an _actual_ war."

"But it's more than that," Sirius shook his head. "It's not just the threat of Voldemort. What about Dumbledore? We'll be giving him seven years to manipulate Harry."

Frank sighed. "I know you're still angry at the Headmaster-"

"You're damn right I am!" Sirius said, jumping to his feet. "You weren't there, Frank! He had my family on the run for _a year and a half_! And it's only because I blackmailed him that he let us keep Harry!"

"_Sirius!_" Yuki placed her hand on Sirius' shoulder. "This is not about hand delivering Harry to Dumbledore. This is about Harry- and Neville- going to school. And it's going to be about JJ, Nori and Lex going to school soon enough. Hogwarts is the best school in the world. We've taught them a lot, but we can't teach them everything."

"Not to mention..." Remus ran a hand through his light brown hair, which already had flecks of grey in it. "We can't keep them at home forever. They need to be kids. They need to have experiences outside of us. Magical experiences. Are we just supposed to keep them in Muggle school, deny them their heritage?"

"Everyone we know is there," Alice pointed out.

"We've built a life here," Sirius snarled.

"What kind of life is it?" Remus pointed out. "Except for the World Cup last year, we don't associate with wizards unless it's absolutely necessary and if we do, we use aliases. The kids don't have any friends outside of each other. We've been living off your gold for years. Maybe... Maybe it's time."

Sirius sank back down into the sofa. He tilted his head back. "I just don't know. I know they have to go to school, but... Are we sure about Hogwarts? About going back? We've been able to make lives for ourselves now. Can we really just give it up?"

"But it's not the life we wanted." Yuki squeezed Sirius' hand. "When we were in England, we were happy."

"That was six years ago," Sirius sighed. "And now..."

"Now he's growing up," Remus finished for Sirius, nodding his head. "That's it, isn't it, Padfoot? The last time we were in England, he was a small child. He barely remembers it. Now, he's turning into a young man. He's headstrong and he's going to get himself into as much trouble as we ever did."

"More," Sirius sighed. "That kid has every Death Eater in England wanting him dead. And what about their kids? The ones who are Hogwarts now? What about _Snivellus_? The last we heard, he was still at Hogwarts."

"Could we get support from the Ministry? Someone over Dumbledore's head?" Alice took a hold of Frank's hand.

Yuki sighed. "With Crouch in the top spot now? He's never been overly fond of any of us."

Remus got to his feet. "Listen, we're not going to come up with anything tonight. We just need to go to bed. Nothing's going to happen in the next few hours that'll make this decision any easier or harder."

* * *

><p>Tonks let out a small moan as she rolled over in bed. She was used to waking early, preparing for the training regime that would start in a few weeks when she finally began Auror training. But the knock on the door woke her several hours before she'd planned to get up.<p>

Bleary-eyed from her weariness, Tonks nearly tripped on the hem of her pyjama bottoms. "Hang on a tick!" She called towards the door.

She tried her best to manoeuvre around the boxes in the small flat. She'd moved into the small flat above Twilfitt and Tatting's only a week previously and she was always rubbish at household charms. Her mum had been sick about the idea of her moving to London, but she wanted to be close to work.

Come to think about it, it might _be _her mother. Andromeda had taken to dropping by at odd times. Tonks quickly glanced into the mirror to attempt to tame her rumpled and vividly purple hair.

"I'm coming!" Tonks said, opening the door. "What are you doing here, Mum, it's so..."

Tonks blinked at the person on the other side of the door. She swallowed hard, remaining frozen. "You're not my Mum."

Quirinus smiled at her. "N-N-Not s-s-so m-much."

Finally shaken out of her stupor by his smile at her, Tonks let out a whoop and threw her arms around his neck. He grunted in surprise at her weight being thrown at him, wrapping his arms around her.

"You should have told me you were coming back!" Tonks cried. "I would've made myself presentable." She bit her lower lip and blushed, reaching a hand up to attempt to flatten her hair again.

"Y-Y-You l-look b-b-b-beautiful," Quirinus insisted. "I-I m-m-missed you."

"You're going to have to tell me all about your trip!" Tonks pulled him into the flat. She waved her hand at the boxes. "Don't mind the mess. I just moved in. But I guess that means you got my last letter. You haven't been writing much..."

Quirinus nodded. "Th-th-things w-w-w-were..." He went quiet for a long moment. A smile then came over his face. "Interesting."

"Are you heading back to the school already? It's summer, you shouldn't need to." She pulled him to the sofa. "Do you have somewhere to stay?" She fell into his lap. "I know! You should stay here! I finally told my Mum about us. Oh, she nearly had a fit, but I'm out of school so there's not anything she can do about it. We can be a _real_ couple now."

Quirinus took a hold of Tonks' hands. "D-D-Dora... S-s-slow d-down... I-I-I j-just g-g-got b-b-back..."

"Sorry." Tonks looked down. "I'm just... Excited. It's been a year! But you're back now and if you're here, then you still... Want..." She laughed nervously. "I mean, you _do_ still want...?"

Quirinus nodded. "Y-y-yes."

Tonks threw herself at Quirinus, taking his mouth in a kiss. He accepted it, cupping her face. When he pulled back, he was breathless. "I-I-I d-do have s-s-some th-things t-t-to do in L-L-London."

"Then it's settled!" Tonks laughed. She rose to her feet, holding her hand out to him. "But, you know, you _did_ interrupt my sleep. I think I want to head back to bed." She crinkled her nose. "And I think I'd like you to come with me."

Quirinus allowed Tonks to pull him along. "O-Oh..."

"It _has_ been a year," Tonks teased. "I would think you would be as tired as I am..."

Quirinus nodded. "Y-Yes... T-T-Tired..."

* * *

><p>It should have felt warm with Nymphadora lying in his arms, but Quirinus felt the cold sweep over him. That familiar, icy sensation only meant one thing. He had first felt it in Albania and it had been following him ever since.<p>

He slipped out of the sleeping girl's arms and crept quietly towards the loo. He closed the door behind him and felt the iciness increase.

"_This is why you desire power?"_ The dark voice hissed in Quirinus' ear. "_To impress a slip of a girl desiring to be an Auror?"_

"She is not threat to you, Master," Quirinus replied.

"_Of course she is not!"_ With each word, the voice grew more snake-like. "_But you bring me to an Auror out of... Affection?"_

"She'll learn," Quirinus promised. "She is young and loves me."

"_Love_," the voice now laughed.

"Nymphadora will follow me and I forever follow you."

Quirinus' head jerked up as he heard footsteps on the other side of the door. He then heard the light rapping. "Quirinus? Is everything all right?"

Quirinus laughed nervously. The coolness in the air abated slightly and he opened the door. "O-O-Of c-c-c-course, D-D-Darling. J-J-Just A-A-Apparation... S-S-Sickness..."

"That's a shame," Nymphadora sighed. She gave Quirinus a light kiss on the cheek. "I need to go out and find birthday presents for Harry and Neville. If you're up for it, do you want to meet for a nosh at the Leaky? Around one?"

Quirinus gave a brief nod. "A-A-all right."

Nymphadora smoothed down his hair. "All right. Just go back to bed for now. I need to shower and go out. I'll be quiet. See you later. Rest well."

Quirinus gave another nod, watching Nymphadora retreat into the bathroom. When the door closed behind her, his expression darkened as the chill returned to the air.

"_She's shopping for... Harry?_"

Quirinus nodded, walking back to the bed. "Her cousin is Harry Potter's adoptive father. They lived abroad. But Nymphadora knows where they are."

The dark laughter chilled Quirinus as much as the presence around him did. He shivered involuntarily. "_Well, Quirrell... Here I thought your girlfriend was nothing but base sentiment. But you might have given me the most important thing..."_ The laughter deepened. "_A path to Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived._"


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

The largest bedroom in the place known as _The Dog House II_ belonged to Harry Black. Well, it did not just belong to Harry. He shared it with his brothers: JJ, Neville and Lex. While Neville and Lex weren't actually Harry's brothers, he always thought of them as such. He couldn't remember a time when he lived without them.

The room was bright and cheerful, decorated with pictures of Quidditch teams, including the Canadian National Team (they'd gotten to see the final match, all five days of it) and the Toyohashi Tengu (Harry's aunt Kei used to be Chaser for them when he was little). There were many pictures from places they had lived over the years. Moony's parents' commune, _Grandpere _Nico's home in France and the row house they had lived in when they were in New York, when Harry and JJ had been babies.

The room held two bunk beds. Harry slept in the top bed to the right of the window. Right next to where he slept he had a picture affixed to the wall. It was of a happy, smiling couple: a dark haired man who looked very much like Harry and a beautiful redheaded woman. He'd had this picture next to his bed for the past ten years.

Harry was looking at the moving photo. It was blurred, with his glasses still off and sleep still heavy in him. He was in that comfortable space between sleep and awake. He knew he was supposed to get up. He'd already hit the snooze on his alarm clock once. He could hear JJ shuffling around the room below him, getting dressed.

"Get up," _Kachan_ called from outside of the room, rapping on the door. "You're going to be late."

Harry groaned and rubbed his eyes. He rolled over and grabbed his round glasses, slipping them on so he could see. He grumbled softly. He loved his _Kachan_, but she was very strict when it came to their lessons. She always had been.

He pulled himself out of bed and attempted to smooth down his wild hair. No matter how much he tried, he could never get it to lay flat. He wished at the very least he could get his fringe to cover the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"How is she able to get up this early?" Harry asked, blinking the last bits of sleep away and yawning greatly. He stretched his muscles, trying to work the kinks out of his body. He looked down from his bunk.

JJ looked up and gave a shrug, smiling at Harry. "She has said that _Ojisan_ was even stricter than she is."

Harry rolled his eyes. "That's hard to imagine."

"Did you hear them come in last night?" JJ kept his voice low, so not to wake Neville and Lex. "_Kachan_ and Dad were supposed to be out all night, but they came home."

Harry pressed his lips together tightly and hummed softly. He didn't want to think about why Padfoot and _Kachan_ would cut their anniversary night short. They did squabble with each other sometimes, but they'd both been excited about celebrating their wedding anniversary. Could they have gotten into a fight so bad as to disrupt it? The idea of his parents rowing made his stomach twist.

He knew Padfoot and _Kachan_ weren't his biological parents. They always told him about James and Lily Potter, the wizard and witch in the photo by his bed. Harry's birth name was Harry Potter. But he'd been going by Harry Black for so long, he could barely remember a time when he didn't. He couldn't remember James and Lily at all. He had only been a year old when they had died. They had left him in the care of their best friend- JJ's father- Sirius Black.

Harry might not of had a traditional biological family, but he felt he had the best family in the world. Sirius and his wife Yuki were Padfoot and _Kachan_, the best parents he could ask for. Remus Lupin- Sirius and James' best friend- was like a second (or he supposed _third_) father. Neville's parents Alice and Frank were like his aunt and uncle.

He liked being Harry Black because it made him feel like he was really part of the family. For Harry, blood didn't matter. The people that loved him, that had raised him, were his family. Considering how close Padfoot had been to his biological parents, even if they were still alive this would still be his famiy.

There was another reason why Harry preferred to be Harry Black. That was because Harry Potter was famous.

Harry Potter's parents had died protecting him from Lord Voldemort, the most evil wizard to ever exist. When Voldemort had tried to kill him, a spell had rebounded, destroying him. Harry was left with nothing but a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead.

Harry had once asked Moony why the curse didn't work on him. Moony didn't have an answer. Considering Moony was about the smartest person Harry knew, he figured that meant no one knew how he survived that night. He tried not to worry about it. As long as Voldemort was gone, it didn't much matter how he actually survived.

Because of his encounter with Voldemort, Harry Potter was famous. Harry Potter was famous for something that Harry couldn't even remember. Being Harry Black had much fewer expectations.

There was another knock on the door. "Harry, JJ... You're going to be late."

Harry finally pulled himself out of bed at _Kachan_'s second warning, scaling the ladder down to the floor. He gave his brother a tired smile. "Hold her off for a few minutes, yeah?"

JJ gave Harry a nod and rushed off to keep _Kachan_ at bay. With his brother distracting Kachan, he donned his _hakama_ and _uwagi_. He just needed a few minutes to collect himself before going down to training.

He opened the window and took a deep breath, letting the clean summer air fill his lungs. He was just about to close the window when an owl flew by. He was surprised when- rather than swooping into the kitchen, it flew past his window again. It released something from its talons. Harry raised a hand to catch he wayward letter. His green eyes widened when he set eyes on what was on the envelope.

It was addressed to him!

Harry rarely got actual letters. He got _Which Broomstick?_ every month. Sometimes he got letters from his cousin Dora, but she would never address it to Harry Potter. Besides, she was getting busy with her Auror training.

He continued to stare at the letter as he made his way down the stairs into the kitchen. Padfoot was at the stove, cooking breakfast. He glanced over his shoulder. "Oi, Harry... You better get outside to training. _Kachan_ is going to be cross."

"But I've got a letter," Harry said, holding up the envelope. "I want to read it."

Moony folded down the top of _The Daily Prophet_ so he could look at Harry. "You've got a what?"

"A letter," Harry repeated. "An owl just delivered it." Harry turned it over, seeing a red seal. "It's from Hogwarts."

Harry, of course, knew about Hogwarts. It was the school that Padfoot, _Kachan_, Moony and his parents had gone to. It was the best magic school in the world.

"You don't need to open it," Padfoot said, a harsh tone in his voice.

Harry's brows knit as he looked at his Godfather. "Huh? But... Why not?"

"I know what it is," Padfoot replied. "It's your letter of acceptance. Your birthday is coming up next week. They'll want you to attend this September."

Harry's heart did a funny sort of somersault. Imagine, him going to Hogwarts! It always sounded like his family had so much fun there! And there was so much he could learn. Had Neville gotten a letter too? His birthday was the day before Harry's...

And then he realized if he went to Hogwarts, he'd be going back to England. Harry Potter would be even more famous there, as Voldemort terrorized English wizards. Harry Black would not be what people expected. And what would happen with his family? Would they stay in Canada? He knew it was normal to go off to boarding school, but he wasn't sure he wanted his family to be on another continent.

"Oh," Harry nodded slowly. He swallowed and looked down at the letter once again. "How do you know?"

Padfoot stepped up to Harry and reached into the back of his jeans, producing an identical letter. "And this arrived for you yesterday. I was going to talk to you about it."

Harry blinked at the letter his Godfather was holding. "I already got a letter?"

Padfoot nodded. "Things are complicated. There is... A lot we need to talk about. This is a decision we're going to have to make as a family. There are some things that we haven't told you about."

"Oh." Harry nodded, his head already swimming with the possibilities. "Okay."

What could Padfoot, Moony and _Kachan_ have neglected to tell him? What could possibly be worse than a madman who murdered his biological parents and tried to murder him too?

"Harry!" _Kachan_ entered the kitchen, her face lined with irritation. "You were supposed to be at training ten minutes ago! Why are you-?"

_Kachan_ quieted when she saw both Harry and Padfoot holding the identical letters. Her shoulders slumped. "Are we talking about this _now_?" Her voice was plaintive.

Harry straightened up and shook his head. "No, we're not." He tore his letter in twain, handing the two pieces to Padfoot. "I'm sorry I'm late. It won't happen again." He strode up to Kachan and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll work for an extra twenty minutes."

"Harry," Moony sighed. "Are you sure?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. We'll talk later."

* * *

><p>Harry loved learning <em>Mahō Budō<em>. He'd been doing so as long as he could remember. It made him feel powerful, cleared his mind from anything that was troubling him.

Until today. No matter how he tried, he couldn't get the prospect of talking to his parents out of his head.

Going to Hogwarts would be incredible. He would get to be around other kids, kids who weren't JJ, Noriko, Neville and Lex. He had no friends outside of them. Not that he didn't love his siblings. But it got a little lonely sometimes.

He knew how his parents worried. There was always a dark tone in which they discussed their former lives in England. But if he went Neville would go too, wouldn't he? And JJ, Noriko and Lex would come when they were eleven.

After following _Kachan_'s instructions and doing his katas, Harry settled down to meditate. He couldn't hear _Kachan's_ footsteps, but he knew she had left to allow him to concentrate. He found none of the peace he usually did.

His mind kept wandering to the images he had seen of the grand castle in Scotland. His parents- both adopted and biological- had looked so happy when they were at Hogwarts. What could have happened that soured them so much on the experience? Surely it wasn't just the memory of Voldemort that made the thoughts bittersweet.

Finally, Harry gave up on clearing his mind and collapsed backwards on the grass, sighing deeply. He supposed the only thing to do was to talk to them about it. He just wanted to delay it a little longer.

Harry felt a presence looming over him. He opened his eyes a crack and saw JJ hovering over him.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Dad's made breakfast," JJ replied. "Aren't you coming in?"

Harry shook his head, throwing his arms up over his face to block his eyes from the ever brightening morning sun. "Not hungry."

JJ threw himself onto the grass beside Harry. "What's going on? Dad and Moony were talking all quiet-like when I went inside. They shut up as soon as I got in. _Kachan_'s been distracted all morning. She was supposed to be training Nori now, but instead she let her go and play..."

"Got my letter to Hogwarts," Harry replied, turning onto his side to look at his brother.

JJ blinked. "So?" He absently picked up some clover from the grass. "Why is everyone acting like that's a bad thing?"

"I don't know," Harry sighed. "But it is. Padfoot, _Kachan_ and Moony are worried. They want to _talk_. Dora _said_ the professors could be strict, but she had fun when she was there!"

JJ looked down, frowning slightly. "Maybe they don't want you to be so far away. I mean I know I'm going to miss you."

Harry frowned, giving JJ a small nudge. "Come on, Jay... If I got a letter, you're going to get one next year. And then we'll be at school together. The Black boys together? Hogwarts won't know what hit it!"

JJ looked up, one eyebrow arching in question. "So you want to go then?"

Oh. Harry hadn't actually realized that. But if he had said it, he probably meant it. He gave a small shrug. "I... Well, I mean... I don't know? I guess it sort of depends on the talk I have."

JJ shrugged, gesturing to the house. "Maybe you should just go do it. You know _Kachan_ went easy on you today because of circumstances, but it's not going to stay that way. Better to just get it over with."

Harry nodded, pulling himself to his feet with a small grunt. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

* * *

><p>Moony stayed quiet the entire time. That was what stuck out in Harry's mind. He sat in his armchair, hands folded neatly in his lap as he listened to Padfoot and <em>Kachan<em> reveal the true story of why they had fled England.

Albus Dumbledore- the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the famous wizard, a man Harry had a dozen times over on Chocolate Frog cards- hadn't wanted his parents to raise him. He had sent Padfoot, _Kachan_ and Moony on the run for years.

Harry had vague memories of the man. He was a wizened man, with friendly blue eyes and half-moon spectacles. Despite his friendly nature, he always seemed so serious in Harry's hazy memories.

"Why didn't he want you to have me?" Harry asked, looking to Padfoot. He hated how his voice was shaking.

"He didn't think you were safe with us," Padfoot replied. He knelt in front of Harry, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "He wanted you hidden away in the Muggle world. With your mother's sister."

Harry recoiled, grimacing. "Aunt Petunia?" _Kachan_ had told him about her when Harry asked if he had any biological family left. She was an unpleasant woman who hated magic. She and her husband hadn't even attended James and Lily's wedding, which had made his mother cry.

He could only imagine what his life would have been like with them. Not being able to use magic? Not having a broom? But worst of all was the idea of not being with Padfoot, _Kachan_, Moony, JJ, Noriko and the Longbottoms. He loved his family more than anything. The idea of being without them as akin to wondering what life would be without his left leg.

"He had a point, Harry," Padfoot murmured as he finally moved away from Harry. He was looking away. Harry only ever saw Padfoot look this brooding when Halloween was approaching. "You weren't safe with us. Not in England. You might not remember when we lived there. We went back for a while. And we were attacked."

They were attacked? He was sure he would remember that, no matter how old he had been.

"Dumbledore put a memory charm on you," _Kachan_ explained, understanding the confused look on Harry's face. "You, JJ, Noriko, Neville and Lex. You were all so terrified by what you had seen..."

"A memory charm?" Harry yelped. "He messed around with my _mind_?"

"A temporary one," Padfoot whispered. "It will have faded now. You were just very young. You don't remember because you were so little." He took a deep, shuddering breath and glanced to _Kachan_. "You don't want to remember it, Harry."

"It was _his_ followers?" Harry looked from Padfoot, to _Kachan_, to Moony. "Voldemort?"

"Yeah." Padfoot nodded. "They thought maybe if you died that they could bring him back. That was when Neville's Gran was killed. That was why Ali and Frank started travelling with us. Because Neville wasn't safe either."

There were so many questions going through Harry's mind. He didn't know where he was supposed to start! But the mention of his best friend seemed as good a place as any. "Why Neville? Why wasn't he safe?"

Padfoot sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. "I wanted to wait until you were older..."

"I'm old enough," Harry insisted. "I can understand what you're telling me. Don't keep things from me anymore. I need to know."

"There was a prophecy," Padfoot explained. "I don't know what the exact words were, no one does except Dumbledore... But it said that Voldemort would fall to one person. But the description of the person... It could have been either you or Neville. The Death Eaters knew enough about the prophecy to go after Neville as well."

"A prophecy?" Harry's head was swimming. He reached up and rubbed his forehead, realizing belatedly he was rubbing the spot where his scar rested. "But... It doesn't matter now, does it? I mean the prophecy's been fulfilled. Voldemort is _gone_."

He looked to his parents and then his uncle. None of them were meeting his gaze, instead looking uncomfortably at each other.

Harry felt his stomach sink. "Isn't he?"

* * *

><p>No one knew if Voldemort was really gone. It seemed like when the curse rebounded and hit him, his body had been destroyed. But Voldemort has always boasted about knowing how to cheat death.<p>

It was on him. Everything was on him.

More than ever, he hated Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived.

It was too much. How could anyone be able to handle it? Being the only person able to defeat the evilest wizard to have ever existed?

When he returned to home, Moony was waiting for him with a cup of tea and some biscuits.

"You didn't eat breakfast," Moony said gently. "This isn't the most nutritious, but you should have something."

Harry accepted the biscuits and sat cross-legged on the ground with his adoptive uncle. "Would I be safe?" Harry asked. "If I went to Hogwarts?"

Moony averted his gaze. "I think... Hogwarts is one of the safest places in the world."

Harry played with one of the biscuits before taking a bite. He still wasn't very hungry, but it kept him from having to as anything else for a moment. But soon enough, he had chewed it all he could and he swallowed the crumbs. "Do you _want_ me to go?"

Moony hesitated, still not looking at Harry. "If we could keep you with us forever, you know we would... But that's not healthy for you. We can't continue to hide you. We need to let you grow up, have experiences away from us. You need to learn to be a real, proper wizard. There's no better place for that than Hogwarts."

Harry inched closer to Moony. He got the hint and put an arm around him. Harry rarely sought to be held, not for several years now. But he wanted to be close to someone. "Am I a weapon against Voldemort?"

"No," Moony said firmly. "You are Harry."

"I'm scared, Moony."

Moony nodded before tightening his embrace. "I know, Harry. We all are."

"What will happen to you guys? If I go to Hogwarts?" Harry closed his eyes tightly. He was afraid he might cry. He didn't want to. He wanted to be brave.

"We'll go back to England with you. We've still got houses there. We can be close to you while you go to school. JJ and Noriko will receive letters when they turn eleven. And they will want to be with you, wherever you go." Remus smoothed down Harry's windswept hair. "But this decision is yours, Harry. We can't make it for you."

Harry nodded slowly. It was so much. It was _too _much. "Can I have some time to think about it?"

Remus nodded. "Take all the time you need."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Harry had felt the best policy was to act like everything was normal at the Dog House. He was going to pretend like owls weren't arriving every few hours with more and more letters for him.

Every once and a while, Padfoot, _Kachan_ or Moony would give him a look and he would shake his head no. He hadn't come to a decision yet and he didn't want to talk about it.

They all took their cues from him. If he wanted to not make an issue out of it yet, they were perfectly fine with that.

The owls were getting a little irritating though.

Harry was lying on his stomach on the floor of the sitting room. JJ was in the corner, strumming at his guitar. Moony was on the sofa reclining. He looked pale and drawn. He always looked terrible right before the full moon.

"It's the fastest model yet," Harry explained, pointing to the picture in _Which Broomstick_? "It's got a high-polished mahogany handle and brass footholds..."

Padfoot entered the sitting room, levitating a large tray with tea. Kachan followed him with a tray of sandwiches. "You've already gone over all of this, Pronglet," Padfoot teased. "Jay, guitar away if you're going to have tea."

JJ set his guitar down and strode to the sofa, sitting down next to Moony.

"Well, I want to make sure you know everything about it," Harry insisted. He grabbed a sandwich from _Kachan_, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "_Arigatou._"

"We know, we know..." Kachan said with a smile. "We also know that your Cleansweep is several years out of date and you're having trouble keeping the twigs straight."

Padfoot gave a nod. "We're also fully aware that your birthday is five days away."

"So?" Harry looked hopeful.

Sirius held out a cup of tea to Harry. "Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise, now would we?" But he winked at Harry.

Harry broke into a large grin, accepting the cup. "Are Neville and Alice coming for tea?"

"In the greenhouse," Frank explained as he strode in. "They're in the middle of a very sensitive trimming. They yelled at me to get out. They'll come in when they have the chance."

Moony struggled to sit up to take a teacup. "You should know better than to interrupt them while they're gardening."

Padfoot hissed softly at the sight of Moony. "You all right there, Moon? Can I get you anything? There's a raw steak in the fridge..."

Moony shook his head. Harry noticed him look over himself and JJ. Moony hated showing any sign of his lycanthropy in front of them, even if they all knew it. "I'll be fine after it's done."

"Frank, you want to go out with the boys tonight?" _Kachan _asked. Both Frank and Alice had recently achieved their animagus transformations. Alice's- a mink- wasn't much good for controlling a large werewolf, but Frank's bear form was more than a match. "Or if you'd rather stay here, I can go."

"I'll go," Frank said with a nod. He smiled at Padfoot and Moony. "What do you say? Boy's night out?"

"Can't wait," Padfoot barked out a laugh.

"Maybe you can't," Moony sighed.

Harry grabbed another sandwich off the tray _Kachan_ had put down on the table. "When do I get to start learning about Animagus Transformation?"

Padfoot furrowed his brow, throwing himself down on the floor next to Harry. "You know, I don't know why you shouldn't start now."

"_Sirius_!" _Kachan_ admonished him. "He's only..."

"Only a bit younger than I was. I started studying when I was twelve. I would've done it sooner if this guy-" He nudged Moony's leg. "Would've told us about his transformation in first year."

"I didn't tell you, you figured it out," Moony sighed.

Padfoot nodded sharply. "I know. And I'm still really hurt about that." He grinned at Harry. "I'll give you all my books on Animagic and any pointers I have."

"What about me, Dad?" JJ asked.

Padfoot opened his mouth to speak, but _Kachan_ fixed him with a look. "Sirius Black..."

Padfoot shrank down slightly, giving JJ an apologetic smile. "Next year. When you're ready for school."

The mood of the room changed instantaneously. Padfoot sighed deeply and covered his face with his hand. "I mean, when you're eleven..."

Harry set his cup down on the tray and stood up. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but found himself unable to rid himself of that wretched feeling.

Padfoot was on his feet in an instant. He grasped Harry's shoulders. "Harry, I didn't mean... I'm not..."

"It's fine, Padfoot," Harry assured him. "I just... I'm going to go outside."

* * *

><p>There was one person Harry could talk to about everything. It wasn't because he was Harry's best friend, even if he was. It was because he was going through much the same thing.<p>

Neville was in front of a large plant with snapping bulbs trying to nip at him as he trimmed off their leaves. His mum was doing her best to hold them back.

Harry frowned slightly as he closed the door to the greenhouse behind him. "Sorry... Bad time?"

Alice glanced to him. She waved her wand and froze the plant solid. She shook her head. "No, it's fine, Harry."

Harry's brow furrowed as he looked at the now still plant. "Why don't you just do that before you start trimming it?"

"You can't unfreeze the leaves once they've been severed," Neville explained. "Makes them useless."

Harry nodded. He kicked a pile of dirt on the floor. "I was... I was hoping we could talk. About things."

Alice nodded. "I figured that's why you were here." She placed a hand on Neville's shoulder. "It's all right. Go on. I can handle things."

Neville pulled off his thick, dragonhide gloves before setting them on the worktable. He walked to the door, gesturing for Harry to follow him.

Harry left the greenhouse behind Neville. He shoved his hands into his pockets, keeping his gaze on the ground. "Did your parents tell you?"

Neville nodded. "Yeah. A few days ago. I read my letter. I only got one. I guess the Headmaster doesn't think my parents will keep it from me."

Harry's stomach gave an odd flip. Did the Headmaster really distrust his parents that much? He thought they would keep it from him? "What did they tell you?" Harry studied Neville's expression. He normally looked so cheerful, but the knowledge of what had happened to them obviously weighed on him.

"Probably everything you were told," Neville replied after a long moment of silence. "About how one of us was supposed to do something that defeated Voldemort. And it ended up being you. But the Death Eaters wanted to make sure so they attacked both of us."

Harry took a few strides head, turning so he stood in front of Neville. "So what do you think?"

Neville stopped walking, looking at Harry. His expression had changed from one of worry to earnestness. "I'm going to do what you do, Harry. Can't imagine going to school without you. We've been together for as long as I can remember."

Harry shouldn't have been surprised that was Neville's answer. He had a quiet confidence to him, but he usually let Harry take the lead in whatever they did. "I want to be with you too, Neville..." Harry frowned deeply. "But I don't know what to do. I'm making this big, huge decision that's going to affect _everyone_. How can I tell everyone 'okay, we're moving back to England and there might be evil wizards who try to kill us because of me'?"

Neville shook his head. "Harry, they're not going to try to kill us because of you. They're going to try to kill us because they're _evil_. Padfoot, Moony, Yuki and my parents were attacked for years before either of us were born."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe. But I've put a big target on us..."

Neville frowned deeply. "So you don't want to go?"

Harry shook his head. "That's the problem, Neville... I _do_." He ran his hands through his hair.

He turned his gaze away from Neville. "I don't know who the Boy Who Lived is. I barely know who _Harry Potter_ is. I mean, I've read about him, but he's not _me_. I don't remember what I did when I was a baby or if I even did anything at all. But I think I need to know and the only place I'm going to find that out is Hogwarts. And if Voldemort _isn't_ gone... Well, if I'm supposed to be the one who gets rid of him, I can't run away from that. My parents didn't run. Padfoot, _Kachan_ and Moony only ran because they wanted to protect me. Maybe it's time for _me_ to not run."

Neville placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Then why haven't you said yes yet?"

Harry finally lifted his head to look at his friend. "When we ran last time your Gran was killed. My parents died protecting me. You've seen the picture of the Order. You know how many of them died. What if... What if me going back makes it all start again?"

Neville brushed a lock of his hair out of his face. "Harry... We've read about him. If Voldemort isn't gone, it won't matter where you are. The only thing we can do is be ready."

Finally, Harry managed a smile.

* * *

><p>With the full moon, there wasn't a good time for Harry to tell his guardians about his decision. He wanted to wait until Moony was feeling better and Padfoot didn't have to worry about him.<p>

The night before Neville's birthday, Harry woke from his light doze, hearing conversation in the kitchen.

It wasn't abnormal for the adults in the house to be up much later than the kids, talking. It also wasn't abnormal for Harry to try to listen in on their conversations. Sometimes it was fun, if they were playing a game or _Kachan_ was showing off one of the weapons she didn't want the kids to see. Sometimes it was boring, like when Moony would talk about his latest translation. And sometimes it was downright disgusting, if he caught Padfoot and _Kachan_ or Alice and Frank flirting with each other.

Tonight, he heard a voice that he hadn't heard in over a year. He smiled at the sound and carefully got out of bed. If he woke JJ, Neville or Lex they would want to come with. The more people who tried to sneak down, the easier it was to get caught.

Harry walked on tiptoes. If he was caught, he would try to explain it as a lesson in stealth. Of course, he doubted that excuse would hold much water, even if _Kachan_ was always extoling the virtues of it in their lessons.

Harry snuck down the stairs and peered into the kitchen. He had been right about the voice! It belong to _Grandpere_ Nico.

Like all of the people in Harry's family, _Grandpere_ wasn't actually any relation at all. He wasn't even related to the Blacks. Rather, he was _Kachan's_former tutor. When they had lived in France, they had lived in _Grandpere_'shouse. He was a very friendly man who liked to make gold coins appear from behind Harry's ear. His wife made the most delicious eclairs in the entire world. They both seemed very lonely, so when Noriko was only four, she asked if they wanted to be their French grandparents, which they happily accepted.

_Grandpere_ didn't seem his normal jovial self. Usually if he came to visit, he'd come wake them up, even if it was late. While _Grandpere_ was always old, he looked even older than usual, his face deeply lined and shadows under his eyes.

"She said the house was absolutely ravaged," _Grandpere_ explained as _Kachan_ covered his hand with hers.

"You can stay here as long as you need. Do Nelle or Mimi need anything?"

_Grandpere_ shook his head. "Nelle just needed to rest after our travel. And Mimi's fine... Just shaken. She may like a small shot of wine."

The house? Mimi? Mimi was the House Elf who lived at the house they'd stayed at in France. Someone had attacked it?

Harry's stomach squirmed and he leaned in closer. He didn't want to miss anything.

"You're sure that was what they were looking for?" Padfoot poured some dark brown liquid into a glass and held it out to _Grandpere._

"_Merci_," _Grandpere_ took the glass and tip it back. "What else could they be looking for?" He pushed the empty glass away. "Whoever it was has no idea where we are- we didn't leave any trail from Carmague. But we're taking precautions regardless."

Padfoot sat down next to _Kachan_. "Is it where I think it is?"

_Grandpere_ nodded. "I know how you feel about him, but there's no one I trust more with the Stone. He'll be moving it in the next few days."

Harry took a step and heard a yowl. He looked down. He'd accidentally trodden on Eris' tail. Having a black cat and trying to be stealthy could be a hazardous.

"Who's that?" Padfoot called out.

Head down, Harry slunk out of the shadows. "I was just... Umm..."

"You were eavesdropping," _Kachan _finished for him. "Don't bother coming up with an excuse."

"I heard _Grandpere_," Harry explained. He waved feebly. "_Salut_."

A ghost of a smile flitted across _Grandpere's _worn features. "It's been a while, Harry. Look at you... So grown up. Happy early birthday."

Harry shifted in his spot. "Is... Is everything all right?"

"It's nothing to worry yourself with," _Grandpere_ insisted. "It's just the troubles of an old man."

Harry looked uncertain, but Padfoot rose, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right, Pronglet."

Harry put his chin up, trying to look confident despite the twisting in his stomach. "You said you would be honest with me."

"I know," Padfoot patted his shoulder. "It has _nothing_ to do with anything we told you..." He trailed off. "As far as we know."

"But _Grandpere's_ house..."

"Nico's done some incredible things, Pronglet. And there are going to be people that want to find out what that is." He smiled softly. "Now get to bed. It's a big day tomorrow."

Harry nodded. "Before I go to bed, I can take something to Mimi..." He looked around the room.

Yuki nodded, conjuring up a small glass of wine. She carried it to Harry. "She's in the guest room with Nelle. Be quiet, Nelle's sleeping. And then_right to bed_."

Harry nodded, carrying the glass up the stairs, careful not to step on Eris again. He opened the door to the guest room and saw Nelle in bed, turned away from the door. He then noticed Mimi curled up in the rocking chair in the corner.

"_Mimi? Bonsoir._"

The House Elf raised her head. Huge, watery eyes looked over Harry. "_Jeune maître_ 'arry?" She sniffled. "You 'ave grown."

Harry knelt down, beckoning to her. "_Viens ici._"

Mimi got out of her chair, standing on two spindly legs and made her way over to Harry. He handed her the tiny cup of wine. "_Grandpere _thought you could use that."

_"Merci, jeune maître_ 'arry." Mimi took a small sip.

"What happened, Mimi?" Harry asked.

Mimi let out a small cry. "It was terrible! Oh! 'e destroyed the 'ouse. There was nothing Mimi could do! Oh!"

It was only Harry's quick reflexes that stopped her from dropping the glass on the floor as she went to bang her head on the doorframe.

"You don't have to do that!" Harry hissed low. "It's all right! _Grandpere_ is just glad you're all right! But what were they looking for?"

"Oh!" Mimi shook her head. "No... Mimi can never tell. Mimi iz sworn not to speak of it. Not even to _jeune maître_ 'arry."

Harry sighed. It didn't look like he was going to get any answers. "Oh. Well... I'm glad you're safe, Mimi."

Mimi gave Harry a weak smile as she took her glass back and took another sip. "_Merci_. _Jeune maître_ 'arry iz as kind as Mimi remembers."

Harry smiled once more before rising to his feet. He let out a sigh. It didn't seem like he was going to get any more information about what was going on.

* * *

><p>Birthday celebrations in the Black-Longbottom family were always a huge event. It was even more exciting with the additions of <em>Grandpere <em>and_Grandmere._ Whatever incident that had occurred the night previously had been set aside in favour of celebrating Neville and Harry's birthdays. Due to how close they were, they always celebrated on the same day, alternating whether on Neville's or Harry's.

Mimi had also recovered from her shaken state. She'd insisted on taking the cooking duties for dinner. When it was time to eat, the dining table was filled to the brim. Roast beef with Yorkshire Pudding, potatoes and gravy, _Confit de Canard_, _Bouillabaisse_ and a dozen other dishes. For pudding, she'd constructed a large dark chocolate cake with Harry and Neville's names written in blue script. As everyone ate, the House Elf's mood became lighter still.

"I don't understand how you managed to do it all!" Padfoot said, patting his stomach as he finished eating. "I didn't even know we had half this stuff in the kitchen."

"Where did you learn to make _Gyoza_?" _Kachan_ asked.

"_Madame_ iz 'aving recipes," Mimi replied innocently. "Mimi iz pleasing?"

"Very much. _Merci_, Mimi," Moony said. He glanced to Harry and Neville. "That is, if you boys are."

Harry and Neville nodded enthusiastically. But Harry looked over at the pile of presents in the corner. He gave an impatient squirm. There was a very conspicuously wrapped present. "But..."

Frank stroked his chin. "Hmm... Is there something we've forgotten to do?"

Padfoot scoffed. "Don't be silly, Frankie. I think we should all just head to bed. After all that delicious food, I'm ready to just pass out."

"_Padfoot_," Harry stressed, nearly fit to burst as he looked over at the package.

"All right, all right," Moony waved his hand. "We don't want you to expire from waiting."

Noriko and Lex happily took the jobs of bringing their elder brothers their presents. They opened them one by one. Harry tried to show gratitude for all of his gifts. He was really thankful for all of them. But one large one still remained. One very long one.

Neville had just opened his final present. It was a rare plant for him to cultivate. Harry couldn't really hear Alice's explanation as to why it was so rare. He was looking at the remaining package.

"Think that's a bit big for you to pick up, Whelp," Padfoot said to Noriko. He got up and retrieved the long package. "Go ahead, Pronglet. Open it up."

Harry ripped open the paper. Instead of the polished mahogany, he found the package was magically inflated and contained only a broomstick repair kit.

"You've been saying your Cleansweeper isn't up to snuff..." Padfoot explained. He looked around. "That was what I was supposed to get, was it?"

_Kachan_ gave him a smack on the arm. "_Baka na inu_..."

"Oh wait!" Sirius snapped his fingers. "There was something else. Why don't you go look in the back garden?"

Harry was on his feet and racing out into the back in an instant. His breath caught when he saw it. There it was. Perfect and gleaming in the dying sunlight was the Nimbus 2000. He ran to it, inspecting every inch. It was perfect.

Broom clutched in his hand, he ran back to the porch, where everyone had come out to see. Harry threw himself at Padfoot, hugging him tightly. "Thank you! This is... Oh wow!" He moved to hug and kiss _Kachan_ and then Moony.

"After you take it out, can I?" JJ asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. And you can have a turn too, Neville."

Neville scrunched up his nose. "You know I'm terrible at flying, Harry."

"Come on, it'll be fun!"

Neville's face remained scrunched, but he finally nodded in agreement.

"It's getting late, boys," Alice pointed out.

"Oh, give them a break, Alice," _Grandpere_ commented. "They are young and they are excited."

_Grandmere_ nodded. "Mm. Our chess set was put to shame."

"Fine," Alice sighed. "Not too high and only two hours. It should stay light enough for you."

With joyful shrieks and laughs, Harry and his siblings ran into the back garden. JJ, Noriko and the Longbottoms retrieved brooms while Harry reverently touched his new gift.

Once they were back, Harry mounted the broom. It was so comfortable. With a shout of triumph, he took off into the air.

* * *

><p>Noriko let out a happy shriek as Harry was squirted in the face by the foul Gobstone liquid. Harry grumbled, wiping his face on his sleeve. "You're getting too good at playing this."<p>

"I win again!" Noriko crowed. She blew a raspberry at her elder brother.

"Noriko, don't be rude," Padfoot admonished her as with a flourish he finished the crossword. He pushed his hair off of his face as he got to his feet. "Time for you kids to get to bed anyway."

"Oh, come on, Dad!" JJ complained from his spot on the floor. He was lying on floor on his belly, watching the telly. "It's Harry's birthday!"

"But it's still time for bed," Padfoot pointed out. "We let you guys stay up for the party, but you need to get to sleep. Neville and Lex have already collapsed. As have Nico and Nelle. You three are just being intransigent now."

"What's that?" Noriko asked.

Padfoot leaned over his daughter, grabbing her by the waist and hauling her up. He gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. "It means you're being bratty little pups who don't listen to their dad." He set her back on her feet. "Now come on."

"You all still have lessons tomorrow!" _Kachan_ called from the kitchen. She'd had a devil of a time convincing Mimi to take a rest, taking cleaning duties herself.

"But it'll be my birthday tomorrow," Harry groused.

"And we celebrated today," it was Moony who called from the kitchen now.

"Come on, you know I don't like to be the hea-" Padfoot stopped talking abruptly, his head snapping towards the front door. He looked very much like the dog he oft turned into.

BOOM!

The door shook on its hinges.

Padfoot's wand was out in an instant. "Get behind me!" He shouted.

Harry grabbed up Noriko, shielding her with his body as he got behind his Godfather. His heart was pounding in his chest. Was this it? Had they finally found him? Had whomever destroyed _Grandpere's_ house now come here?

The door flew off its hinges and landed with a deafening crash. The man- at least, Harry thought it was a man- took up the entire doorway. His long, shaggy hair and beard obscured nearly his whole face. Beetle black eyes narrowed on Padfoot. "What'n the hell is wrong wit' yeh, Sirius Black?"


End file.
